Rather than clogging up the sticky'ed thread, it might be an idea to defer any posts about how f'ed up it is to here.

I'll start off with: WTF? I thought it was illegal for the cops to use unmarked cars for traffic stops in CA. What's to stop some psycho from putting lights on their car, pulling someone over and putting a round in them? I've seen some Crown Vics with the light bars tucked away inside the cab, but as I recall they had all the usual markings on the side.

 

You are wrong.

 

Yeah and Fuman is 5-0 so he should know. So whats up with that? It is not illegal then? Or is there some loophole..?

 

Fuman?

 

well as i said earlier i won't pull over for an unmarked car, if they get all pissy because of it then screw them and i'm sure i will be harrassed to no end because of it but if the roles were reversed i doubt they would want to be pulled over by an unmarked car either.

 

There where problems several months back with a guy doing just that. Then, he would mug you!

 

I have many years of law enforcement experience and this thread suck!!!

 

i'd let you off for $50

 

this is whats wrong with America... we will give someone a badge and a gun, but they cannot speak English...

 

you need a license to catch a fish in the state of california, but it's your god-given right to procreate...

 

...under-cover cops...

 

Se hable engrish?? You must be from Lower Alabama

 

 

Wacky?

 

(Steps up on soap box)

Well, Fumanchu is wrong at least in part. In the case of radar enforcement, per the California Vehicle Code, they have to be in a plainly marked vehicle (as determined by the Commissioner (of the Highway Patrol) and be wearing distinctive clothing to use radar for traffic enforcement in the state of California. Otherwise it is considered a Speed Trap and thus illegal practice.

Most of the case law that over the years has defended these Speed Trap laws are rooted to the fact that the State Legislature is consistently of the opinion that first priority should be to take measures to keep the law from being broken in the first place. Relative example, notice how the traffic slows down to the speed limit when a Highway Patrol (distinctively marked Black and White) car pulls onto the freeway. Unfortunately, the speed trap laws are the last vestige of this truth as to what is considered appropriate practice for traffic enforcement these days. And even then you see abuse to this spirit behind the Speed Trap laws. For example, every morning I see motorcycle cops literally hiding in bushes in CarbonCanyon (at the entrance to Western Hills Golf and Country Club) with their laser guns clearly enjoying a thriving business.

Everyone should have a real problem with this unmarked vehicle turn of events as all this fosters is legalized entrapment. Black and White is the only thing that differentiates law enforcement from private security vehicles at best and dangerous people at worst. A story that you hear pop up time and again is of a guy who would pull girls driving alone at night over and rob, mug, or do worst to them.

Yes, I have to say I have a problem at so many levels with unmarked vehicles being used for traffic enforcement. It just opens too many doors for abuse.

Fumanchu or any other rotor heads that happen to be in law enforcement, care to defend. If no reasonable defense is voiced, then I have to believe there is no reasonble defense to give. But, I'm sure willing to listen to one.

(Steps down from soap box)

 

believe it or not , cops, like fuman, won now about laws till 2 years after. fuman, sorry, but laws are passed every 3 weeks, and for officers to know it its imposible. unmarked cars are illegal, i know tat for a fact, i had one follow me to lapd h.q. in rampart, which is now newton, and they et me go with my loud *** exhaust, cuz it was an unmarked car. the dic(detective) didnt know about the law.
just an insight
oh yeah i stepped up on the soap box and stepped down, it was windfresh soap, so i got an extra 2 minutes:P


undefinedundefinedundefinedsams club, yeah yeahhhhh!!!

 

in san diego... blue 96-98 mustang gt w/ AEM license plate frame on rear.

 

The only undercover I see are NARCS!!

 

Go through 6 months of P.O.S.T. training, then come back to this thread.

 

"If no reasonable defense is voiced, then I have to believe there is no reasonable defense to give."

The silence is very telling. I'm wondering if P.O.S.T Training stands for Pile Of S-hit Tactics Training.

Seriously, is there anything in that training that explains why measures to keep the law from being broken has taken second place behind what amounts to gorilla tactics (hide and hook 'em when they're not aware).

 

I admit, you are right. I am not even a cop. Just a security guard at a local mall.

 

Lincoln Security?

 

No. I actually used to work for them but I didn't like how they ran the company. Not to mention their hourly rate sucked. Now I get $12/hour with 1 week paid vacation.

 

Hey that's not bad at all Fuman. My buddy used to work for them too.

 

This is for Mr. Hasslehoff who watches too much Law and Order...


You are about 50% right. It has been shown with case law that only black/white units and uniformed police officers should be used PRIMARILY for traffic enforcement. It has nothing to do with radar except for the fact that the only cars that have radar in them are the black/white units used in traffic enforcement.


But any on-duty officer can make a stop as long as he has a unit with red lights and he can identify himself. Period. A undercover officer usually only does this for a pre-text stop so he/she can make a detention to check for warrants or such. Or the violated vehicle code is serious enough that warrants an arrest like reckless driving or exhibition of speed.